66 OF ROADS. 



been obliged to purchase a pair of broad wheels for each of 

 his carts. 



The Baron adds, he has no doubt that broad wheels will 

 gradually creep into general use among the wealthy hus- 

 bandmen, but a statutory enactment may be necessary to 

 compel carriers of every description, (a numerous class), to 

 adopt them, as broad wheels, by having more wood and 

 iron, are rather more expensive. Five years, however, 

 should be allowed to wear out the narrow wheels now in 

 use. The sheriffs of counties should be directed, to be par- 

 ticularly attentive in regularly intimating these statutory 

 enactments, the first year, the third and the fifth years, at 

 their several commencements, as the above description of 

 people, arc generally very illiterate, and, indeed, inattentive 

 to statutory enactments of any kind, as very few ever reach 

 them, or awake their attention. 



An eminent agriculturist on the borders, Mr Walker of 

 Wooden, is of opinion, that if broad wheels could be 

 brought into general use, it would be attended with a very 

 great saving of expence upon the public roads ; at any rate, 

 he is convinced that they are on many occasions of much 

 importance to the farmer. In wet seasons they are pecu- 

 liarly useful in leading home the crop from wet or soft 

 lands, which have been sown down with grass-seeds ; in ta- 

 king the stones from the same lands in the spring, when 

 they are to be cut for hay ; and in leading turnips off wet 

 lands. On such grass lands, while the ordinary wheels 

 sink very deep, and greatly injure the ensuing crop, wheels 

 of only double the ordinary breadth, make almost no im- 

 pression whatever. He always keeps, therefore, three or 

 four pair of these wheels for the purposes above mentioned. 

 They are made at hardly any additional expence. JEach 

 wheel is covered with two old iron rings of the common 

 wheel, after they have become too thin for use upon the 



